English 101 (AY 2010-2011) English 101: Composition & Rhetoric AY 2010-2011 Liberty University Lynchburg, VA [Professor, Office, email, phone] Please note that any section that is designated with an asterisk must be repeated word for word in the individual professor’s syllabus *I Course Description English 101: Composition & Rhetoric Through the critical engagement of a variety of texts, including written, oral, and visual, this course prepares students to become careful readers, critical thinkers, and skilled writers Drawing upon rhetorical theory, it emphasizes the practices of analytical reading, informed reasoning, effective writing, and sound argumentation The course requires 4,000 words of writing in no fewer than five writing projects, three of which are argumentative essays incorporating external sources *II Rationale Reading and writing are essential for success in college and in life In English 101, students will further develop their skills in analyzing texts, processing that information in the context of their worldview, and articulating their conclusions clearly to a particular audience *III Prerequisite Statement Engl 100 or advanced standing on the placement test As stated in the Liberty University Catalog, it is the student’s responsibility to make up any prerequisite deficiencies that would prevent the successful completion of this course IV Materials List - Texts, Handbooks, Supplemental Readers, and Recommended Dictionaries NOTE: The following list attempts to include the most recent information for ordering the approved textbooks Instructors must use their own discretion in choosing between various versions of current, approved texts (such as with or without a handbook or with or without readings) and between the various supplemental "packages" which publishers might offer (such as the addition of a dictionary with the textbook) A TEXTS: The instructor will use one of the following texts: VanderMay, Randall The College Writer 3rd ed Boston: Wadsworth, 2009 Print (ISBN: 0495803413) B A HANDBOOK (from list below) is also required if text selected does not include handbook and/or research guide: English 101 (AY 2010-2011) Aaron, Jane E The Little, Brown Handbook, Brief Version 4th ed Boston: Longman, 2011 Print (ISBN: 020576276x) C Recommended: A standard, recent COLLEGIATE DICTIONARY Such as: American Heritage College Dictionary, 4th ed 2007 Print Merriam-Webster Dictionary, 11th ed 2005 Print *V Learning Outcomes/Requirements Learning Outcomes: Students who successfully complete English 101 will 1) understand and practice reading, writing, and rhetoric within the context of a Biblical worldview 2) apply methods of sound reasoning (induction and deduction) and argumentation in writing 3) produce well-structured, grammatically sound essays using various modes of discourse* 4) integrate sources accurately and effectively using MLA documentation* 5) write with clarity* 6) recognize standard usage in English grammar, word choice (diction), phraseology, and sentence structure* 7) apply knowledge of sentence structure to basic sentence editing and revision* *These are also Gen Ed core competencies for communication Requirements: Students in English 101 will 1) identify and analyze the structural and rhetorical aspects, including narration, illustration, definition, argumentation, and so forth, of various texts, whether written, oral, or visual 2) identify, analyze, and evaluate theses, claims, assumptions, and conclusions in their own writing and in the writing of others 3) demonstrate, through practice and repetition, their understanding that writing well consists of a series of tasks, which include choosing and restricting a topic, formulating a thesis, constructing a topic outline, and revising through successive drafts 4) demonstrate an ability to craft their writing according to the rhetorical dynamics of subject, audience, purpose, and tone 5) demonstrate an ability to control various elements of argument such as appeals to reason and to emotions, claims of fact, value, and policy, and the relationship between claim, evidence, and warrant 6) demonstrate control of such surface features as diction, style, grammar, and mechanics to produce writing that is essentially free of glaring errors 7) apply conventions of structure and format appropriate to the rhetorical situation 8) quote, summarize, and paraphrase source material accurately and correctly document such use English 101 (AY 2010-2011) 9) produce at least three argumentative essays, one of at least one-thousand words, which correctly incorporate various types of evidence from external sources using the MLA format 10) share their ideas and impressions constructively with other members of the class through reading, responding to texts, peer reviews, and discussions 11) practice the “writing as process” model of composition, which includes topic development, drafting, revision, and editing in accordance with the conventions of standard English 12) analyze and evaluate rhetorical strategies in oral, visual, and written texts reflecting the diversity of cultures and worldviews Assignments / Requirements This section is an overview of the assignments Give a concise statement and brief description of the assignments More specific details of the assignment should be included in section X As a guideline for assignment/requirement development, consider the following: • Cognitive growth - Learned content which is testable • Product - Description of things produced such as class papers, projects, etc • Process - Expectations for discussion in class, participation in activity/experiment Identify special needs such as eye cover in labs and other safety requirements Identify which learning outcome in V (above) corresponds to each assignment VII Grading Policies A Each instructor will provide students with his or her own criteria and the department's criteria for the evaluation of student work Generally, the essays will count for at least half, but not more than two-thirds, of the students’ final grades Work evaluated numerically is based upon the grading scale below: A…900-100 B…800-899 C…700-799 D…600-699 F…0-599 All faculty will adopt a 1000 point scale for calculating student grades • Thus, an assignment worth 40% of a student’s grade will receive 400 points • All grades are numeric *B Plagiarism Each student should know that plagiarism encompasses more than the use of printed sources without giving proper credit It means handing in writing from one student that English 101 (AY 2010-2011) another student has composed, revised, edited or proofread Accordingly, the following guidelines are set down, and each English 101 student must study and understand them from the outset The instructor will assume, after pointing out and discussing this policy, that the student will be responsible for understanding and applying it Penalties for plagiarism will be severe: an "F" on an assignment without opportunity to it again and an "F" for the course Any fact not common knowledge, any idea, phrase, or paraphrase which is taken from a printed source, from a lecture, sermon, or radio broadcast must be documented Any work submitted in English 101 will be understood to be the work of the student submitting it and his work alone Taking credit for someone else's proofreading ability, suggestions, ideas, or words is plagiarism An exception to this definition is group work assigned and directed by the instructor Unless the instructor assigns such work, students should their own writing, revising, and proofreading If a student has availed himself of the services of a tutor, officially designated by the university or unofficially, it will be understood that the tutor will confine his services to helping a student develop and express his or her own thoughts, making suggestions to help the student fulfill the assignment guidelines, and supplementing the work that the professor does with the student in conferences and class A tutor in his proper role never does work for a student or supplies specific words, phrases, or ideas The student bears responsibility for his own work He must not submit a tutor's work as his own, and he must not blame his errors on the tutor If the student submits a paper typed by someone other than himself, it will be understood that the typist has not changed anything from the student's script or rough draft The student may not blame the typist for errors not corrected on the draft given to the instructor "Self plagiarism" is when a student submits written work from another course or another context as if it is original work for a current writing assignment This is not acceptable *C Grading Rubric for English Papers Content - Purposefulness - Factual Accuracy - Thoughtfulness - Appropriate Support & Development - Perceptiveness - Soundness of Logic - Depth of Knowledge Good Informative/Persuasive Fair Demonstrates Basic Understanding of the Ideas Discussed But Support is Limited Deficient Little Meaningful Content English 101 (AY 2010-2011) Appropriate to Audience & Purpose Clear, Restricted Thesis Thorough Development of Thesis Adequate Range Does Not Show Understanding of Topic Thesis Clear but Needs Restriction Mostly Relevant but Lacks Some Needed Detail Thesis Vague Inadequate Development of Thesis; Lacks Sufficient Detail Relevant to Topic Perceptive, Concrete Details Support Meaningful Sophisticated Ideas - Intelligibility Effective Introduction, Body Paragraph(s), & Conclusion Graceful Transitions Ideas Clearly Supported Organization - Orderliness of Presentation Clear & Functional Introduction, Body Paragraph(s), & Conclusion Some Transitions Needed Loosely Organized but Main Ideas Stand Out Lacks Discernible Introduction, Body Paragraph(s), and Conclusion Few or No Transitions Lacks Logical Sequence of Ideas Succinct Diction & Style - Fluency of Language - Effectiveness of Sentence Structure - Adequacy of Vocabulary - Use of Action Verbs - Adequacy of Tone - Integration of Concrete Detail Appropriate Vocabulary Precise Word Choice Tone Appropriate to Audience & Purpose Shows Mastery of Word Choice & Usage Sentence Variety Throughout Mostly Active Voice & Action Verbs Effective Use of Concrete Details Adequate but Simplistic Vocabulary Some Vague/Imprecise Language Tone Adequate to Audience & Purpose Occasional Errors in Word Choice & Usage Limited Sentence Variety Overuse of Passive Voice & “To Be” Verbs Limited Use of Concrete Details Limited Vocabulary Generally Vague Ineffective Tone Does Not Support Writer’s Intention Frequent Errors in Word Choice & Usage Confusing/Ineffective Use of Concrete Detail or Support Lacking Altogether Repetitious Language Grammar & Mechanics - Grammar, Mechanics, & Usage - Spelling - Format Essentially Free of Errors - Documentation Minor Errors Glaring Errors* Meaning Conveyed Despite Errors Unacceptable Inattentive to the Conventions of Written Discourse Shows Acceptable Neatness & Attention to Detail * NOTE: A GLARING ERROR is a mistake or pattern of mistakes that forces the reader to interrupt his/her reading to search for needed clarity or meaning GLARING ERRORS undermine the writer’s credibility and point to insufficient editing Typical GLARING ERRORS include egregious misspellings; fragments; fused or run-on sentence constructions; comma splices or errors in punctuation when using conjunctions; disagreement between subjects and verbs; disagreement between pronouns and their antecedents; and confusing shifts in tense, person, or number *D Standards: Effective academic writing should display the following characteristics: Worthwhile CONTENT—a perceptive, engaging exploration of a topic using appropriate support A solid ORGANIZATION—clear, logically presented Introduction, Body English 101 (AY 2010-2011) Paragraph(s), and Conclusion focused on a controlling thesis and with sufficient transitions Appropriate DICTION AND STYLE—fluency of language, adequacy of vocabulary, appropriateness of tone, effectiveness of sentence structure, use of active voice and action verbs, and graceful integration of support General correctness with regard to GRAMMAR AND MECHANICS— observance of accepted grammar, mechanics, usage, spelling, format, and the conventions of standard written English *E Format: Students should format all academic writing in accordance with the MLA guidelines as described in the assigned handbook or as directed by the instructor Unless otherwise noted, all graded writing submissions will be typed F Guidelines for Grades: (see Grading Rubric for English Papers) Written work achieving consistent ratings of good with respect to the four standards will receive a grade of 900-1000 Written work receiving a rating of good in two or three of the four standards and not less than fair in the other(s) will receive a grade of 800899 Written work rated fair in three or four of the areas and not having any area rated deficient will receive a grade of 700-799 Written work that is rated deficient with respect to one or more of the four standards will receive a grade of 699 or below NOTE: Ordinarily the grade of “F” is reserved for those papers that in some blatant way simply not meet the requirements of the assignment VIII Attendance For the good of the Liberty University student body, a consistent attendance policy is needed so that all students in all majors will understand the expectations of faculty in all their courses In general, regular and punctual attendance in all classes is expected of all students At times, students will miss classes These absences will be identified as either excused or unexcused and will be handled per the policy below Excused Absences • Excused absences include all Liberty University sponsored events, to include athletic competition or other provost-approved event • Absences due to medical illness that are accompanied by a doctor’s note will be excused English 101 (AY 2010-2011) • • Absences due to family situations such as a death in the family or a severe medical condition will be excused Students will not be penalized for excused absences and will be permitted to make arrangements to complete missed work Unexcused Absences • Classes that meet: o Three times per week will permit three unexcused absences per semester o Twice per week will permit two unexcused absences per semester o Once per week will permit one unexcused absence per semester • Questions regarding unexcused absences must be resolved by the student with the professor within one week of the absence Students may appeal these decisions to the respective dean within one week • Extraordinary circumstances regarding excessive absences will be addressed by the student with the faculty member, department chair, and dean as required • Penalties for each unexcused absence over the permitted number per semester will be as follows: 50 points for classes that meet times per week 75 points for classes that meet times per week 150 points for classes that meet once per week • Students who are late for class 10 minutes or less are considered tardy but present for the class If a student misses in-class work due to tardiness, the faculty member may choose not to allow the student to make up this work Three class tardies will be counted as one unexcused absence • Students who are more than 10 minutes late for class are considered absent *IX Other Policies (These policies should be reproduced exactly as stated below) Dress Code Students are expected to come to class dressed in a manner consistent with The Liberty Way Honor Code We, the students, faculty, and staff of Liberty University, have a responsibility to uphold the moral and ethical standards of this institution and personally confront those who not Academic Misconduct Academic misconduct includes: academic dishonesty, plagiarism, and falsification See The Liberty Way for specific definitions, penalties, and processes for reporting English 101 (AY 2010-2011) Disability Statement Students with a documented disability may contact the Office of Disability Academic Support in DH 2016 to arrange academic accommodations For all disability testing accommodation requests (i.e quieter environment, extended time, oral testing, etc.) the Tutoring / Testing Center is the officially designated place for all tests administered outside of the regular classroom DROP/ADD POLICY A Fall/Spring course may be dropped without a grade, tuition, and fee charges within the first five days of the semester From the sixth day until the end of the tenth week, a Fall/Spring course may be withdrawn with a grade of W Classroom Policies The inappropriate use of technology, such as cell phones, iPods, laptops, calculators, etc in the classroom is not tolerated Other disruptive behavior in the classroom is not tolerated Students who engage in such misconduct will be subject the penalties and processes as written in the Liberty Way X Agenda of Class Sessions [Topics per day/week] [Assignments per date: Tests, Due Dates for Writing, Other] ... from one student that English 101 (AY 2010-2011) another student has composed, revised, edited or proofread Accordingly, the following guidelines are set down, and each English 101 student must study... Worthwhile CONTENT—a perceptive, engaging exploration of a topic using appropriate support A solid ORGANIZATION—clear, logically presented Introduction, Body English 101 (AY 2010-2011) Paragraph(s),... revision* *These are also Gen Ed core competencies for communication Requirements: Students in English 101 will 1) identify and analyze the structural and rhetorical aspects, including narration,